


Turned Around

by ashtraythief



Series: Underneath 'verse [12]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Criminals, Alternate Universe - Mob, Alternative Universe - FBI, Car Sex, D/s undertones, Hand Jobs, Jealousy, M/M, POV Outsider, References to past Jensen/Matt, Rimming, Rough Sex, Undercover, anger issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-08-07 11:47:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16407914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashtraythief/pseuds/ashtraythief
Summary: Jensen runs into an old friend. Who is a thief. And also kind of an ex. Jared gets jealous.





	Turned Around

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Somer (somersault_j)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/somersault_j/gifts).



> Set shortly after Family Matters and Behind The Scenes. Written as an unofficial auction fic for somer who didn’t win me at an auction but was kind enough to donate for the cause anyway.  
> Timestamps for this verse seem to come in threes and what I consider the Rabbit Hole Trilogy. i.e. Jensen’s descent into madness, is now followed by something I’ll call the No Lines Trilogy. Ahem. Two more with this theme will follow. At some point. In the hopefully not too distant future.  
> Heist shamelessly stolen (ha) from Leverage’s The Two Live Crew Job. Matt and Agent DeKay are heavily inspired by their White Collar characters.  
> Many thanks to dancing_adrift for being a patient and excellent brain-stormer and all the love to keep_waking_up for helping me figure out all the kinks.  
> Flowers and chocolates to ilikaicalie for being the most wonderful of betas!

“I hate the fucking Feds.”

Neither Harley nor Sadie reacted to Chad’s dramatic announcement. They were both too busy watching Jensen—or more precisely, his hands. Jensen was holding their balls, ready to chase them across the yard. They’d been at it for a while and Harley’s tennis ball was drenched in dog slobber and nearing the last leg of its usual one-week life span. Sadie’s ball was much drier, but she was a snob and wouldn’t touch a tennis ball with a ten foot pole. She only brought back the specialty dog balls from the pet store.

Jensen raised his arms and threw both balls as far as he could to buy himself some time and turned to Chad.

“Have they impounded your car again? I keep telling you, you gotta be more careful.”

Chad gave him a dark look. “I wish. It’s actually serious this time. Where’s Jared? He told me he’d be home.”

Jensen jerked his head toward the basement. “He’s working out.”

Chad nodded, then disappeared back inside. Jensen wondered what was going on. Maybe Morgan was finally making his play with Abel? Or he’d come up with another plan. There was still the mysterious other agent Jensen didn’t know about.

Harley and Sadie came running back and Jensen dutifully returned to their game of fetch. It wouldn’t help to worry about it now, and Jared would tell him eventually.

 

Jared showered immediately after Chad left and then disappeared in his office to make a few phone calls. He only emerged when Sam put out sandwiches in the living room.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” he said as he sat down next to Jensen on the couch. “I needed to take care of our newest Fed problem.”

“I heard,” Jensen said dryly. “Chad seemed really pissed.”

Jared’s face darkened. “Yeah, well, they’re really pushing it.”

“What’s going on?”

“Abel’s brother is serving a stretch in Florida. They’re threatening to make life hard for his brother with a transfer.” Jared made a face, obviously disgusted by the Feds’ methods. “If Abel doesn't snitch on me, they’re basically going to kill his brother.”

So Morgan had followed through with Jensen’s suggestion. Abel was the weakest link in the inner circle, but he was still a puppy looking for attention. That he’d roll on Jared had been a long shot, but Morgan had wanted ideas and that was the best Jensen could do at the moment.

“Abel told you,” he stated.

“Of course he did,” Jared said, entirely unconcerned. “But now I have to expand our influence in prison so that his brother’s former accomplices—who both got a life sentence thanks to his testimony—don’t kill him when he gets transferred.”

Jensen wrinkled his nose. “Sounds unpleasant.”

Jared laughed and reached for a sandwich. “I’ll survive. I’m more annoyed with their persistence.”

“Well, they’re not just going to quit,” Jensen said and took a sandwich for himself.

“I was hoping if I humiliated the task force enough, they’d give up.”

Jensen snorted. “They’re the FBI, Jared. They can’t just ignore what you do.”

Jared just grumbled and turned on the TV. Baseball season was in full swing and Jensen made Jared surf the channels until they landed on the Red Sox game.

When they were done eating, Jensen turned to Jared. “You know, that boy deserves a promotion.” He wasn’t sure what made him say it—it was the right move for Jared, of course—but there was no strategic value for the FBI. Then again, Jensen could just be a supportive boyfriend without the scheming for once. And now that Abel had ratted the Bureau out, there was no way he’d ever fold.

"You're right, he does. When we go to the Nine next time, he's getting a seat at the table."

Jensen gave Jared a look.

Jared laughed. “Don't worry, I'm also going to give him an actual pay raise.”

“You could also give him a gift. A watch maybe? Something with a personal touch.”

“That's not a bad idea.”

Jensen grinned. “I only have good ideas.”

Jared turned to him with a glint in his eyes. “Oh really?”

“Yeah. As a matter of fact, I have another good one right now," Jensen said and slid off the couch and down between Jared’s legs.

Jared smiled and dragged his thumb along Jensen’s bottom lip. “Pretty good, yeah.”

 

Things with Jared were going well. Had been going well, ever since Jensen had come back from Australia about two months ago. He should have known it wouldn’t last for long.

“Jensen?”

Jensen looked up from the bookshelf. Tall and slim, a pretty face with an angular jaw and a strong chin, electric blue eyes under thick dark eyebrows. Next to him in the Turning Pages stood Matt, the forger from Jensen’s first Campbell assignment in New York.

Fuck.

“Matt.” Jensen didn’t try to hide his surprise. Matt had another three years left to serve on his sentence. “Holy shit. I thought you were still in Otisville.”

Matt grinned, his usual, charming smile that made his blue eyes twinkle. “It wasn’t really my scene.”

Matt raised his arms in a look-at-me gesture and Jensen had to laugh. Matt was wearing a well-fitting dark suit with a skinny tie, his wavy dark hair stylishly swept back. No, Matt really didn’t look like he belonged in a prison.

“Good to see you,” Jensen said and he meant it. He’d always liked Matt. He was honorable, for a thief, and he abhorred violence. He was a forger, a slick con-man who’d never be caught dead with a weapon.

They’d worked together in Heyerdahl’s crew, and when Jensen’s undercover assignment had paid off, Matt had gone to jail. It looked like Heyerdahl wasn’t the only one who’d gotten an early release.

“Good to see you too.” Matt took a step closer to Jensen, a small, almost questioning smile on his face, and Jensen met him halfway.

They hugged, brief but tight. When Matt pulled away, his lips brushed along Jensen’s jaw and Jensen barely refrained from rolling his eyes. Matt was an incorrigible flirt and they’d had a fling, back in New York. Jensen just hoped there wasn’t any lingering resentment that Matt had gone to prison and Jensen hadn’t.

“So… no hard feelings? About New York?” Jensen asked. He’d sent him a postcard in prison, but they hadn’t talked since the Feds had arrested Matt and Jensen allegedly fled the city.

Matt shook his head. “Nah. It was a clusterfuck and I’m glad you managed to slip the Feds.”

“Good.” Jensen put a healthy amount of relief in his voice. He was curious what Matt knew about Heyerdahl.

He thought he saw something flicker in Matt’s eyes, but he just smiled easily. “You look good.”

Jensen grinned. “So do you. And don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled to see you, but what are you doing in Chicago?”

“Well, New York is kind of burnt earth.”

Jensen raised his eyebrows. “So you moved here?”

Matt shook his head. “Nah. I’m traveling right now. I haven’t picked a place to settle yet. But who knows...” He trailed off and gave Jensen an appreciative once-over.

Jensen rolled his eyes. “Still such a flirt.”

“And you love it. How about I buy you a coffee? I still owe you one, I think.”

They’d had a standing coffee exchange going on in New York, a thin disguise for their heavy flirtation. Jensen had dragged it out for as long as he could before he’d finally hooked up with Matt. They’d had fun, in a light and easy way, both of them unwilling to commit to anything serious. It wasn’t enough history for Matt to come looking for him for personal reasons, though. But Matt just bumping into him in Chicago—in Jensen’s favorite bookstore no less—couldn’t be a coincidence. Jensen wondered whether Matt wanted to pull a heist or if there was another, more dangerous reason for him being here.

“Coffee sounds great,” Jensen said warmly. “And then you’ve got to tell me what you’re doing with your newfound freedom.”

“Of course.” Matt gave him a big smile. “You know a good place around here?”

“Yeah, actually. Just around the corner.”

There was a little cafe down the street with enough nooks and crannies to guarantee mostly private conversations. This whole encounter made Jensen’s skin prickle and he needed to figure out what was going on before he slid into another Heyerdahl-esque situation.

“Lead the way.” Matt made an over-the-top bow and Jensen gave him a charmed smile.

 

“Excuse me for a second, I just need to send a quick text,” Jensen said while they stood in line in the cafe. In front of them, a guy was giving the barista an endless order, probably for half his office.

Matt didn’t take the bait, at least not yet. “Sure, go ahead.”

Jensen sent Jared a text telling him that he was looking forward to their movie night. Jared had a giant home entertainment system in his basement and they’d been out so much recently, they’d made fixed plans to finally stay in again. Jared probably just wanted Jensen to ride him in the plush red cinema seats, but it wasn’t like Jensen didn’t like that too.

The guy in front of them finally finished and Matt stepped up to the counter. “An espresso and a tall mocha latte, one shot of caramel, skim milk, no foam and chocolate sprinkles.” He turned to Jensen with a cheeky smile. “Did I get that right?”

“Perfect.”

They took a table in a corner of the cafe half-hidden by a huge potted plant. They spent the first fifteen minutes talking about the good old times in New York. Jensen let Matt lead the conversation, wondering when he’d finally get to the point. He didn’t seem in a hurry; he was happy enough to reminiscence about their past heists. He was weirdly specific in his recollections, prompting comments often enough that Jensen took care to phrase his answers so they could never be used as testimony against him. The way Matt was subtly angling for information made Jensen more wary by the second. Something was wrong.

Inevitably, they landed on Heyerdahl.

“I’m glad he’s dead,” Matt admitted. “We never should have worked with him.”

“No one knew what a fucking bastard he was,” Jensen said. “He didn’t show his true colors until the end and he used everyone around him.”

“I gotta ask.” Matt leaned forward. “There are some pretty intense rumors flying around.”

Jensen raised his eyebrows. “Rumors?”

“Well, word on the street is Heyerdahl came to Chicago to collect a debt. But someone didn't like it.”

As a thief, you never admitted to anything, even if—or _especially_ if—you were talking to an old acquaintance. You never knew who was listening. And this would implicate Jared too.

“That's a pretty vague rumor,” Jensen said.

Matt gave him a reluctant grin. “Well, it’s actually a little more detailed.”

“Oh?”

“They say he tried to take something that belonged to Chicago’s king. And the punishment... well, I believe ‘fish food’ is the mobster term.”

“That’s an interesting story.” His words gave nothing away, but Jensen made sure his facial expression said it all.

“Fuck, Jensen.” Matt shook his head. “I didn't want to believe it. You and Padalecki?”

Jensen rolled his eyes. “Have you seen him? There was no way I could say no to those shoulders.”

Matt didn’t laugh. “ _Jared Padalecki_ , Jensen. He’s the boy king of Chicago.”

“He’s an upstanding citizen of this city.” Jensen raised a hand and started ticking off points. “His company employs almost a hundred people, he donates to charity, and he supports the arts.”

“Right. I heard he’s even got a Van Gogh.” Matt raised an eyebrow sardonically. “Is that how you met?”

Jensen snorted out a laugh. “Jealousy is not a good color on you, Matt.”

“I’m not jealous, I’m worried,” Matt hissed. “Even if you ignore all the rumors floating around out there, he’s still incredibly high profile. The Feds, the press, _everyone_ is watching him. And if I remember correctly, you really value your privacy.”

Jensen shrugged. “He’s worth the exception.”

“He must be phenomenal in bed,” Matt said dryly.

“You have no idea.”

Now, Matt did laugh. “As long as you know what you’re doing.”

“I’m making it up as I go. But that’s always worked for me.”

“You’re like a cat with nine lives.”

“Speaking of. You still haven’t told me what you are doing with your life these days,” Jensen said pointedly.

Matt put on a wide, carefree smile. “Enjoying my newfound freedom.”

When Jensen didn’t reply, Matt elaborated. “Having a good bottle of Merlot whenever I want, eating good food—oh god, you should have seen the garbage they tried to pass off as chicken in prison.” Matt shook himself. “I had to play poker with the big guys just to afford candy bars from the commissary.”

“Well, I don’t think you had any problems with that.”

“Not in the beginning. But they eventually stopped playing with me.”

Jensen laughed. “So, food, drink. What else?”

Matt’s eyes glinted. “Well, you get kinda lonely in prison.”

“What, no cute safe-crackers?”

“Safe-crackers.” Matt pulled a disdainful grimace. Then he pointedly looked Jensen up and down. “Anyway, I was kinda spoiled before I went in.”

“I _just_ told you that I have a boyfriend.”

“Can’t blame me for trying, can you?”

Jensen smirked. “No. But even though I’m pretty hot, that’s not the reason you came to town. So.”

Matt held his gaze, then sighed. “You’re right. I mean, the view is a plus but you being here is actually just a really nice coincidence. I would have come anyway.”

“You want to pull a job.”

“And I couldn’t not come to you for this. We were a really good team.” Matt made a dramatic pause. “Next month, they’re going to auction off Van Gogh’s only Sunflower painting still in private collection right here in Chicago.”

Well shit. Jensen had heard about the upcoming auction, of course. Van Gogh had painted two series of sunflowers and only one of the paintings from the later series was in private collection. But with the tight security and attention, any black market sale would be incredibly difficult. There weren’t many people who would dare to take that on. And if an excellent Dutch expressionist forger was involved...

“You want to pull a Mona Lisa,” Jensen stated.

Matt grinned. “The first job we ever did together.”

“Considering they locked up the fence, it doesn’t seem like a very good omen.”

In the Mona Lisa scam, a crew pulled off a high-profile heist and then sold several forgeries of the painting on the black market. The forgeries could be stored outside of the country ahead of time so there was no danger of getting caught smuggling them. If the forgeries were good enough, they might never be discovered. People tended not to brag about owning a stolen painting. But to pull off the Mona Lisa, it took an excellent forger, a great thief, and a well-connected fence. They’d locked up the fence in New York because Jensen had collected evidence for the FBI. Matt had gotten away because he was supposed to lead Jensen to Heyerdahl, who had been a much bigger fish.

“Well, we’re both better now. C’mon, Jensen.” Matt reached over the table and took Jensen’s hand. “Let’s have some fun. And make some serious money while we’re at it.”

“I have plenty of fun.” Jensen pulled his hand back. “And that would be a very high-profile heist. In the city where I live.”

“A Sunflower Van Gogh, Jensen.” Matt leaned forward. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s our holy grail.”

“And a direct ticket to jail.”

“Since when are you such a scaredy cat?”

Jensen scoffed. “I’m not. But I live here now. The Feds are already watching me. They’re gonna be at my door the second that painting disappears.”

“I didn’t think that would stop you. It certainly didn't in New York. I remember our last conversation before the heist. ‘Screw the Feds,’ you said. ‘They’ll never catch us. And if they do, we’ll just burn town.’ ”

“Yeah, well things are different now.” Jensen crossed his arms across his chest.

Matt pursed his lips. “Wow. I never thought you’d settle down.”

Jensen raised an eyebrow. “Clearly you don’t know me as well as you think you do.”

“Clearly not.”

They sat in tense silence. Jensen took a sip from his drink and Matt emptied his coffee.

Since they were already fighting, Jensen decided to go digging for the truth. There was something Matt was hiding. “How did you find me anyway?”

Matt waved a hand dismissively. “I asked around.”

“Before or after you heard that I was dating Jared?”

Matt drew back infinitesimally. “Before.”

Jensen cocked an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Would it be so crazy that I’d come look you up?” Matt’s mouth quirked up in a mischievous smile. “For old times’ sake.”

“Not good enough,” Jensen said.

Matt’s eyes widened at Jensen’s tone and he raised his hands placatingly. “Look, enough people in New York know where you’re at these days. And when I realized the Van Gogh auction was going down, I called Stevie to put a crew together. He was also the one who told me about your favorite haunts. And it’s not that hard to figure out where you live and what routes you take. Since you’re not exactly keeping a low profile these days.”

Jensen thought he really should lord this over Jared—this was exactly what Campbell had worried about in the beginning.

“Yeah, well, as tempting as working with you is, I can’t.”

“Look.” Matt pulled out a pen and wrote his number on a napkin. “It’s going to be good, Jen,” he said softly. “Willie Garson is going to run tech and Stevie is hooking me up with Diahann.”

Jensen pursed his lips. “That’s an impressive crew.”

“It is,” Matt said with bright eyes. “But I need a thief to match it or it won’t work.”

This all just sounded way to good to be true. The Sunflower Van Gogh? Willie Garson, probably the most ingenious crook in the US? And Stevie had promised to get Diahann, one of the oldest and toughest fences in the business?

“Then you shouldn’t have come to me,” Jensen said, but he took the napkin anyway.

Matt smiled and stood. Jensen followed him out the door.

Outside, Matt stopped abruptly and Jensen almost walked into him. “I get that you want to be careful, but think about it.” Matt’s voice was barely more than a whisper and his hot breath fanned softly against Jensen’s ear.

The comment could be taken either way. At this point, Matt’s persistence was sending the alarm bells ringing.

“I’ll call.” Jensen leaned in for a hug. “Take care,” he said, with emphasis. He’d always liked Matt and whatever he’d gotten himself into to approach Jensen like this, it couldn’t be good. Jensen knew something about working under pressure.

“I will.” Matt sounded surprised. As he pulled away, he pressed a fleeting kiss to Jensen’s cheek. “See you around.”

 

When Jensen got into the car, Willy eyed him in the rearview mirror without starting the car.

“What?” Jensen asked.

“You know what,” Willy said gruffly and jerked his head in the direction of the cafe.

Jensen rolled his eyes. “Oh my god, he’s just an old friend, okay? There’s nothing going on.”

“I’m not saying there is,” Willy said. “But he looked kinda shifty if you ask me.”

Jensen let out a sigh. “He did, didn’t he?”

Willy nodded. “As long as you saw it too.”

Jensen dragged a hand over his face. “I did. But it’s good to know I didn’t just imagine it. Thanks, Willy.”

“Anytime.”

Jensen promised himself to get Willy a new fridge magnet the next time he went shopping. But first, he needed to figure out what was going on with Matt.

While Willy navigated the car through the dense traffic, Jensen took his phone out. “Hey, Aldis. I need a favor.”

 

Aldis was making him wait. Jensen had no idea why it was taking Aldis so long, but he didn’t want to annoy him and give away how worried he was, lest Aldis would call Jared. Jensen really wanted to avoid that for now. And it had been only a few hours.

When his phone finally rang, it was Jared. “Hey, sweetheart. Change of plans for tonight.”

“Oh?”

“We’re having dinner at the Golden Dragon.”

“Are we now?” Jensen asked. Jared sometimes forgot that Jensen wasn’t actually a member of his crew and he couldn’t just boss him around, so occasionally Jensen made a point of pushing back. He was Jensen fucking Campbell, not one of Jared’s lackeys.

Jared huffed out an annoyed laugh. “Yes, we are. Because I have a surprise for you after.”

“Are we having an anniversary that I forgot about?” They’d celebrated their two year anniversary by escaping the city’s summer heat at the lakehouse of one of Jared’s acquaintances just a few weeks ago. They’d spent the entire weekend either running or swimming with the dogs, and when they weren’t doing that, they’d fucked all over the house. It had been a pretty good weekend.

“I’m hurt,” Jared said dryly. “Can’t I do something nice for my boyfriend?”

And it wasn’t that he didn't. It was just that generally speaking, Jared wasn’t big on romantic gestures or presents. But if he wanted to do something nice now, Jensen wouldn’t say no.

“I’ll have Willy drive me.”

Jared laughed. “See you soon. And sweetheart? Put on a suit. The dress code is non-negotiable.”

“Fine. But you owe me frozen yogurt after.” Jensen hung up and went to take a shower. He hoped Jared’s surprise was something along the line of tickets to a sold-out show or something because Jensen wasn’t sure how many more surprises he could take today.

 

Jared refused to give it up during dinner, no matter how hard Jensen tried to bribe him.

“Come on, just a hint. I’ll blow you in the bathroom.”

Jared gave him a half-smirk, popping a dimple. “Nope. This is way too much fun.”

Jensen shot him a glare and went back to his curry. He tried to enjoy his meal but he had a hard time ignoring Matt and his presence in Chicago. He considered telling Jared but he didn’t want to do it before he had something concrete. Campbell didn’t run to his boyfriend with every little problem; he solved his own problems. Especially after the whole Heyerdahl debacle. Jensen didn’t need Jared to save him again.

“Is everything okay?”

Jensen looked up from his curry. “What?”

Jared’s eyes were narrowed and he’d put down his silverware. “I asked if everything is okay. You’re miles away.”

“Still mulling over your surprise.” Even as he said it, he saw that Jared wasn’t buying it. Distraction then. “Is it a high-end swinger party?”

“No.” Annoyed, Jared reached for his wine glass.

“A fancy BDSM club?”

“No.”

“Is it—”

Jared slammed the wine glass on the table so hard, the red liquid almost spilled over. “If you suggest one more scenario where other people are going to see you naked, I’m going to chain you to the bed and not let you go until you’re hoarse from begging.”

Jensen opened his mouth, then closed it again. Jared’s look was smoldering. In the end, Jensen settled on licking his lips. “We should talk about that sometime.”

That made Jared draw up short. Jensen smiled demurely and went back to his curry. It wasn’t that Jared had never pinned Jensen in place, but after the first time he'd hinted that he’d like to use actual restraints, Jensen had shot him down harshly in a fit of panic. Jared had never brought it up again. Now that Jensen didn't constantly fear for his life anymore, maybe getting tied up was something he could enjoy. Even though Jensen wasn't interested in any of the ritualized BDSM stuff, a little kink couldn't hurt.

Jensen was pretty sure there was something pretty fucked up about this whole scenario, but he decided that was best left unexamined. His life was enough of a mindfuck on a regular basis; he didn’t need to psychoanalyze his sex life too.

“We should talk about it,” Jared finally said, and his expression was serious. “If you really want.”

“I want.” Jensen stretched out his legs under the table and intertwined their feet.

Jared’s lips quirked up in a little smile and he went back to his food.

Jensen hadn't planned this distraction at all but it had gone pretty well. Jared had forgotten about Jensen's mood and Jensen, well, he definitely had something new to look forward to.

 

After dinner, Winston drove them through the city. Jensen had thought he’d get a chance to figure out where they were going, but he was mistaken. Jared pressed the button to raise the dark screen between them and Winston as soon as the car doors were closed, then pulled Jensen into his lap and kissed him breathless.

“This is a nice surprise,” Jensen said the next time he was able to breathe enough to form words.

It wasn’t easy though, because Jared’s mouth was moving down his neck and Jensen’s priority was getting Jared’s shirt and pants open.

“We don’t have a lot of time, sweetheart,” Jared said but pulled off Jensen’s suit jacket and gripped his ass anyway. “This isn’t the actual surprise.”

Jensen grumbled and pulled Jared’s dick out of his slacks. “Ten minutes?”

Jared groaned and slammed his head back. “Five.”

“You started it,” Jensen reminded him mildly. He reached behind him to fumble a bottle of lube out of one of the car’s compartments and slicked up his hands. Then he wrapped a hand around Jared’s dick and started stroking him.

“Just wanted to distract you,” Jared gritted out.

Jensen actually laughed at that, because how did Jared not see that backfiring? But then Jared drew in a sharp breath and his stomach muscles tensed as he sat a little more upright and reached for the lube himself.

Jensen grinned while Jared opened his pants. Jared had always been good about reciprocating and while he was no forger, he did have very large, very talented hands.

Jensen leaned back in to kiss Jared, but it was sloppy through the rush of pleasure. He had to focus on pulling out all the stops since they didn’t have a lot of time. So it was fast and dirty, one of Jared’s big hands jerking Jensen’s dick while his other kept groping Jensen’s ass, and god, Jensen wished they could fuck right now. Instead, he kept stroking Jared and buried his other hand in Jared’s hair.

When Jared bit his neck, Jensen came, sharp and unexpected, and slumped into Jared. He managed to keep his grip on Jared and Jared pumped his hips up furiously before he spilled all over Jensen’s hand.

“Nice surprise,” Jensen muttered nonsensically into Jared’s sweaty neck.

Jared let out a hoarse laugh and reached for the tissues. “Still not the surprise, sweetheart.”

“But nice anyway,” Jensen said and grabbed a tissue to clean himself up.

Jared shot him a dark look while he closed his pants. “I’ll show you nice.”

“Yeah? Tonight?” Jensen waggled his eyebrows.

“You bet your ass on it, sweetheart.”

Jensen closed his belt, and still sitting on Jared’s leg, wiggled his ass. “Oh, I am.”

With a reluctant smile, Jared pulled him in for a kiss. “You’re unbelievable. Now let’s go.”

Jensen reached down to fix the last two buttons on Jared’s shirt, adjusted his pants, and climbed out of the car. Then he froze.

They were parked right in front of Schuster and Trent, Chicago’s finest art auction house. It was where Jared had bought the Van Gogh that Jensen had stolen two years ago. And in one month, Schuster and Trent was going to auction another Van Gogh—the Sunflowers. This couldn’t be a coincidence.

He felt Jared’s hand low on his back, and with a little pressure, Jared steered him toward the entrance. There was a red carpet and people in evening wear waiting in line at the big double doors with heavy security, but when Jared and Jensen approached, a tall man in a suit simply waved them through.

“Mr. Padalecki, we’re so thrilled to have you with us again.” He shook Jared’s hand enthusiastically.

Jared smiled pleasantly. “Thank you, Mr. Trent. But I couldn’t let the opportunity slide to bring my boyfriend tonight.”

Mr. Trent’s expression turned slightly apprehensive when he saw Jensen. “Ah, of course. Mr. Campbell, welcome.”

With a grin, Jensen shook his hand. Just like the FBI, museums, galleries, and auction houses kept their own lists of potentially dangerous people. Jensen was flattered he’d obviously made it on there. “I’ve always wanted to stop by but I never really found the time before.”

Mr. Trent let out a nervous laugh and then looked pleadingly at Jared. “I hope you’ll have a great evening.”

Jared gave Jensen a fond smile, then pulled him closer against his side. “I’m sure we will.” Then he led Jensen inside.

Jensen followed along, Jared’s arm slowly gliding from his waist and coming to rest just above his ass again.

Inside the main room, they were displaying the painting on a big wooden easel. Three big sunflowers arranged in a green vase before a bright blue background.

“I thought you’d like to get a preview,” Jared said softly. “Since you have such a soft spot for Van Gogh.”

With a little laugh, Jensen turned enough to press a kiss to Jared’s cheek, then refocused on the painting. It really was magnificent, a soft, almost understated beauty with an unusually bright background for the sunflower series. Because there were only three flowers in the vase it seemed less full, less moving than the other paintings in the series. But with the bright colors and the petals of the sunflowers seemingly more taut, the painting exuded a much stronger projection of life.

“I think your soft spot for Van Gogh is even bigger than mine.”

“Because I actually bought a painting?”

Jensen grinned up at Jared. “Because it’s how we met.”

Jared snorted but didn’t deny it. “Do you like it?” he asked after a while.

“It’s beautiful.”

“It is,” Jared agreed, but when Jensen turned to look at him, Jared wasn’t looking at the painting. “Do you want it?” Jared asked.

Jensen wasn’t sure if Jared meant if he wanted to steal it or if he’d buy it for him, though Jensen assumed that this painting would be out of even Jared’s price range. The Van Gogh Jared owned was one of his early paintings, which usually went for much smaller sums. Something as prominent as a Sunflower painting would go for tens of millions of dollars.

“I’m not working in your city,” Jensen said quietly. “It’s too dangerous.”

Slowly, Jared nodded. “I appreciate that.”

Jensen leaned into Jared and looked back at the painting. “You know I hate attention. I’d be the first the Feds would look at. First rule of thieving: You don’t work where you live.”

Jensen realized that made it sound like Chicago was his home. Jared pulled Jensen against his chest, wrapped his hands around his waist, and pressed a kiss behind his ear. “Shame though. It’s really pretty.”

Jensen curled his hands over Jared’s but thought Campbell had said enough cheesy stuff tonight. So he snorted. “It’s exquisite, you heathen.”

Jared laughed softly, his lips brushing against the shell of Jensen’s ear before he pulled back.

Jensen was just about to launch into a lecture on Van Gogh’s brushstrokes when a guy in a sharp suit and a familiar profile entered his line of sight.

Shit.

“Jensen?”

Jensen forced himself to smile. “Matt. Long time no see,” he said with emphasis, hoping Matt would play along. “What are you doing here?”

Matt smirked conspiratorially. “Actually, it’s Nick. Nick Halden. But that’s an easy mistake to make.”

So Matt was here under one of his favorite identities, probably scoping out the auction house and working on an in.

“But I’m little surprised to see you here,” Matt said. “I wasn’t sure you’d take my offer.”

Jensen grimaced. “I’m not. I’m just here to see the painting.” Next to him, Jared stepped closer, but Matt ignored it.

Instead, he turned and took a step back, standing closer to Jensen than was strictly necessary, and looked at the painting. “Van Gogh’s Sunflowers.” Then he looked pointedly at Jensen. “Beautiful.”

Jensen narrowed his eyes at Matt. The little fucker had been watching them.

Jared’s hand snaked around Jensen’s waist. “Jensen.” His voice sounded casual, but Jensen could hear the undercurrent of steel in it. “Who’s your friend?”

Matt didn’t step back, but he smiled at Jared. “Oh, I’m being rude. I didn’t even introduce myself.” He stretched out his hand to Jared. “Nick Halden. Jensen and I go way back. And I have to say I was looking forward to meeting the man who managed to get Jensen to settle down.”

“You were,” Jared said coldly and shook Matt’s hand. Jensen hoped he wasn’t trying to crush it.

Matt’s smile went a little tight, but that was the only indication that Jared was getting to him. “Of course. I mean, you’re a legend just by yourself, but getting Jensen Campbell to have a semi-permanent address? Well, that’s something.”

Jared straightened up to his full height and managed to square his shoulders while keeping his hold of Jensen. “If you really know Jensen then you’d know no one can make him do anything. Jensen’s with me because he wants to be.”

Jensen rolled his eyes. “Are you two done talking about me like I’m not here?”

Matt gave him an unapologetic grin. “Come on, don’t begrudge me a conversation with your boyfriend. I was very curious.”

“So am I,” Jared said. He raised his eyebrows and gave Jensen a pointed look. “Offer?”

“Oh, you didn’t tell him,” Matt said, and Jensen wanted to strangle him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to—you know.”

Jared’s eyes were hard when he looked at Jensen.

“Just a job offer,” Jensen said nonchalantly. “I wasn’t planning on taking it.”

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“I get a lot of offers, Jared,” Jensen said annoyed. “I don’t tell you about all of them.”

“You should when it’s coming from an old friend who’s in town.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be only here for a few days,” Matt jumped in. “But Jensen, I was thinking we could have dinner? For old times’ sake.”

“We’re having dinner at a new sushi restaurant this weekend. You should join us.” Jared didn’t sound like he meant it.

Matt just laughed. “Well, a very smart guy once told me there’s nothing better than dining with a view.” Matt gave Jensen a soft smile. “I still eat on the rooftops whenever I can. Especially after Otisville.”

Jared’s eyebrows shot up.

“Has Jensen never taken you for a rooftop dinner?” Matt asked. Jensen needed this conversation to stop.

“Jared’s not really—” he started, but Matt mercilessly talked over him.

“Jensen does these wonderful rooftop picnics. He packs great food and then he takes you up to the best view in the city, right when the sun sets. And somehow he always manages to pick a place right above a jazz band.”

“That was once,” Jensen protested while Matt gave Jared a commiserating look. “You must not have been dating for long. Jensen, I’m sorry if I spoiled a possible surprise, but I’m sure Jared will love it either way.”

“Jared’s not really a rooftop kind of guy,” Jensen said with a tight smile.

Jared didn’t say anything. When Jensen chanced a look, he saw the muscle in his cheek twitch. Shit.

“Well, cheesy romantic dinners aren’t for everyone,” Matt amended. “I’m sure you show him your love another way.” He winked, and there was no doubt what he meant.

Unfortunately, an innuendo suggesting Matt had slept with Jensen would hardly appease Jared.

“So Matt—I’m sorry, _Nick_ —what are you doing here at Schuster and Trent?” Jensen didn’t try to hide the threat in his voice. Matt needed to shut up now.

“A client of mine is very interested in acquiring the Van Gogh,” he said. “I’m here to oversee the auction and secure the painting for them.”

“I’m sure you are.”

Matt smiled. “You know, I should have known you wouldn’t be able to stay away. Van Gogh always was your favorite. Remember the last time we went to see one of his paintings together?”

Jensen couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course I do. I had to save you from getting skewered by that angry woman’s umbrella after you compared her to one of his portrait paintings.”

“How could I have known she was armed?” Matt threw his hands up in exasperation. “Umbrellas are not allowed in museums.”

“Yeah, well, maybe that’ll teach you to keep it down in the future.”

“Look who’s talking. I’m not the one who got us thrown out of the New York Public Library.”

Jared’s fingers dug painfully into Jensen’s side and he realized how Matt’s statement sounded.

“It’s not my fault that the librarian didn’t even know what laughter was,” Jensen said indignantly.

Matt laughed. “We did have a lot of fun together, didn’t we?”

“We did. A long time ago.” Jensen wondered what the fuck Matt’s deal was. He was making Jared jealous on purpose, but Jensen couldn't for the life of him figure out why. And he couldn’t shut Matt up either, because he still hadn’t told Jared about their spontaneous coffee date just a few hours ago, which Matt could reveal at any second. Not knowing Matt’s play drove Jensen crazy. He’d made it clear that he wasn’t interested in the heist. Did Matt think that if Jared was pissed enough to throw Jensen out, Jensen would do the heist?

“Now I remember,” Jared cut in. “It took me a while because of the whole Nick Halden spiel, but you’re one of the New York crew.” Jared’s face hardened. “You worked with Heyerdahl.”

Matt’s eyes widened infinitesimally before he managed to cover up his unease with a smile. “I don’t want to talk about that here, you understand.” He shot a look in Mr. Trent’s direction.

“That’s not what you should worry about,” Jared said, deceptively soft. His face was calm, and yet he exuded pure power. It had been a while since Jensen had seen him like this and he’d almost forgotten what a terrifying opponent Jared could be.

Matt swallowed. “Look, I had no idea back then. I never would’ve worked with Heyerdahl otherwise and I had nothing to do with him coming after Jensen. I was still in jail.”

“Jared, come on,” Jensen said placatingly. He didn’t want Matt to end up as a casualty because he’d underestimated Jared’s rage. “Matt’s one of the good guys.”

Jared stared quietly, dragging the moment out long enough to drive the point home that he was making a choice that could just as well go the other way.

“I believe you.” His mouth twisted into a patronizing smile. “Though if he did end up in jail, he wasn’t very good, was he?”

“It happens to the best of us,” Matt said with thin bravado.

“Not to Jensen,” Jared said and raised a hand to thumb along Jensen’s jaw. “And not to me.”

Jared could’ve held up a sign saying _you’re not good enough_ to Matt and it wouldn't have been as devastating. Then Jared bent down and pressed a short, brutal kiss to Jensen’s lips.

Jensen chased his mouth and kissed him softly, as close to an apology as Campbell would ever give. “Play nice,” he said quietly.

Jared’s smile was hard when he turned back to Matt. Jensen was about to say something to diffuse the situation—he didn’t want Matt to lash out and reveal their coffee date—when his phone rang. Bad timing. Aldis’s name flashed on the screen. Perfect timing then, actually.

“Excuse me.” He stepped away to answer his phone. “Yeah.”

“Tell me you’re not in trouble.” Aldis’s voice was strained.

“What? Why?”

“The number you had me check belongs to a Matt Bomer.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Do you also know that he works as a consultant for the FBI?” Aldis asked exasperatedly.

Jensen froze.

“Didn’t think so. He’s working with DeKay.”

“Who?”

“The White Collar agent who’s been after you for a while. Didn’t Jared tell you?”

Jesus fuck. “He didn’t.”

“Ah shit. Okay, look, Bomer is dangerous, okay. He’s been helping the Feds lock up all kinds of people in New York, and DeKay—well, he’s good. Star of New York’s White Collar division. I’ll talk to Jared about it.”

“You will not.”

“Jensen—”

“No, look, let me talk to him first. It’s complicated.”

“How is this complicated?”

“Ah, Matt is kind of an ex.”

Silence, then Aldis exhaled loudly. “Well fuck.”

“Yeah. Look, I promise I’ll tell Jared about it tonight, okay? And then you can call Jared tomorrow. Just…”

“Yeah, no worries, I’m not getting involved in any of your relationship drama, nuh-uh.”

“Thanks, Aldis. Just one more thing. Why is Matt in the city?”

“There’s a security conference and Agent DeKay is speaking. So he should be around too.”

Great. Just what Jensen needed. “Thanks, Aldis.”

“Uh huh. Don’t mention it.”

When Jensen walked back to Jared and Matt, they were talking about the different paintings Jared owned. From the outside, it might seem civilized, but Jensen recognized it immediately as a bragging contest between art knowledge and art possession.

Jensen gripped Matt’s arm painfully. “Jared, if you’ll excuse us, Matt and I need to talk. Shop talk, you know.” And he dragged Matt off toward the restrooms.

“Jensen,” Jared called after him, but Jensen just waved at him in a way he hoped would look reassuring.

“Jensen, what—”

“Shut up,” Jensen hissed into Matt’s ear.

And Matt did.

The restrooms were blessedly empty and Jensen slammed Matt into a gray, gleaming stall. “Clothes off.” He ripped open Matt’s shirt, found his muscular chest wire-less, then reached for the pen in his shirt pocket and tore off his watch, flushing both down the toilet.

“Look, not that I object to the clothes-off part, because _Jesus_ , but Jensen, what the fuck is wrong with you?”

Matt put up a fight when Jensen pulled his phone out of his pocket. But Jensen was the better fighter and Matt’s phone went into the toilet bowl as well. Jensen tried to think what else the FBI used nowadays for surveillance.

“Jensen!”

He kept patting Matt down but didn’t find anything else beyond a hotel key card, a wallet filled with cash, a driver’s license for Nick Halden, a condom, and a slim metal business card holder, filled on one side with Matt Bomer cards and Nick Halden cards on the other.

Jensen slammed a hand against the stall’s wall, just inches from Matt’s head. “You’re working for the Feds!” And wasn’t that a fucking irony.

Matt slumped against the stall’s wall. “It’s not by choice.”

“Oh, really?”

“Look, they offered me a way out of prison. I serve the rest of my time on a tracking anklet helping the FBI and they got me out of Otisville in return.”

“You turn against your own people for a few years on the Feds’ leash.” Harsh, but Jensen was pissed at the betrayal. Not to mention Matt trying to fuck up his relationship.

Matt’s nostrils flared and the carefully constructed veneer fell away. He looked at Jensen with anger and terror in his eyes. “What do you think they do to a guy like me in Otisville, huh?”

Jensen’s raised his eyebrows. “Otisville is minimum security and half of the inmates are in there for white collar crimes. You fit right in.”

“Yeah, but I was never on top of the food chain. They knew my rep, Jensen. I had to do favors for all of the guys running the place just for protection from the bottom feeders. Do you know how many laws I had to break? How many risks I had to take? If I had gotten caught, they’d have given me more time and I—I couldn't do it. So I wrote to DeKay—I don’t know if you remember him, he wasn’t part of the team that came after us, but he’d been looking at me before—and I convinced him he needed my help on a case. And as long as I’m useful, he’s keeping me out of jail.”

“Fuck.” Jensen leaned back against the stall. It wasn’t that he didn’t sympathize—he did. “Look, I’m not saying that I don’t get it but that you’d try to come after me…”

“Come on, I wasn’t really trying.”

“So there’s no heist-of-a-lifetime with the best crooks in the US?”

“No.”

Jensen rubbed a hand across his face. “Why did you try at all?”

Matt sighed. “DeKay’s had his eyes on you for a long time. But Morgan, the guy who runs the task force looking into your boyfriend, won’t give him access. Doesn’t want it to jeopardize the organized crime investigation. Murder, weapons, and drugs will always top white-collar art heists.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “So since we’re in Chicago anyway, I suggested I check you out. DeKay was kinda pissed at me because of something else so I needed to play nice and I could see he wanted to suggest it anyway. You were right; the pen is a recording device. But don’t worry, you didn’t give me anything.”

Jensen’s mouth pulled into a reluctant smile. “And I bet DeKay doesn’t officially know about any of this so Morgan can’t blame him for it because you’re just an unruly consultant.”

Matt grinned brightly. “Exactly. You’re not going to let your boyfriend kill me over that, right?”

Jensen smiled sardonically. “Jared doesn’t kill anybody. But even if he did, I wouldn’t let him kill you.”

That moment, the bathroom flew open and Jared came in, his face a stormy mask.

Jensen realized how they must look, both of them in a toilet stall, Matt’s shirt torn open and them grinning stupidly at each other.

“It’s not what it looks like,” Matt rushed out.

Jared pulled his gun and pointed it at Matt. Matt flung his hands in the air and tried to hide behind Jensen as best he could in the small stall.

“Jared, put the fucking gun down. I swear, nothing’s going on between us.”

“Even if there isn’t,” Jared said coldly, “he’s working for the Feds.”

“I know,” Jensen said exasperatedly, and gestured at Matt’s open shirt and the toilet behind him, hoping it conveyed Jensen’s thorough search. And really, Campbell was fucking offended that Jared thought he wouldn't figure that out.

“I fucking know you know,” Jared said through clenched teeth. “I called Aldis and he told me. What I want to know is why you are fucking protecting him.”

Oh. Well. “He’s an old friend,” Jensen said quietly. “And he’s not exactly doing it because he wants to.”

Jared didn’t lower the gun. “Not good enough.”

“It’s good enough for me.” Jensen couldn’t back down now. He couldn’t let Jared go after Matt, no matter how pissed he was. And he actually understood pretty well the kind of cluster fuck Matt had ended up in—balancing on a thin line, his obligations pulling him in one direction, his principles in another.

Jared’s nostrils flared and he adjusted the grip of his gun. Slowly, like he was approaching a hungry tiger, Jensen walked over to Jared and put a hand on the barrel of the gun.

“Matt wasn’t here for you; he was here for me. So it’s my decision. And I forgive him. Not that he doesn’t owe me, forever,” he added over his shoulder, “but he was under a lot of pressure and it wasn’t like he didn’t give me ample reason to be suspicious.”

“Which is not easy when your handler is listening and you need to do a convincing job,” Matt chimed in and Jensen turned around with a disbelieving expression.

“Shut up,” he mouthed at Matt, who flinched and raised his hands again.

“Look,” Jensen said to Jared, “nothing happened. And really, this is good. Because when DeKay comes at me for real—and don’t think we’re not talking about why you didn’t tell me about him—then Matt can give us a warning. Because whatever the White Collar Division in New York is planning, Matt will let me know. Isn’t that right, Matt?”

“Of course, Jensen. I told you, I owe you.”

Jensen turned back to Jared. “See?”

“And you trust that little snitch?”

“I do.”

Jared’s jaw clenched, then he lowered the gun and slid it into the back of his pants. He didn’t stop glaring, just walked across the bathroom past Jensen and didn't stop until he reached Matt and punched him in the stomach.

Matt wheezed out a breath and doubled over. Jared gripped his shoulder and kept him half upright. Jensen knew better than to interfere, but he stepped closer anyway. He didn’t think Jared would permanently harm Matt—and he did deserve a punch in the face—but Jared’s rage was a dangerous thing.

Jared leaned in and started whispering in Matt’s ear. Jensen just caught snippets— _hurt him in any way, touch Jensen, not even your own mother_ —but it was enough to get the gist of what Jared was threatening.

Jared straightened up when he was done, and after slamming him back into the toilet stall wall, he roughly pulled Matt up. “I think it’s time we all went home.”

Matt’s head lolled to the side, but he shot Jensen a weak smile. Jensen rolled his eyes and followed them out.

 

In the hall, Matt stopped to look at the Van Gogh wistfully. “Chance of a lifetime.”

“You’re never going to give up, are you?”

“You and I are cut from the same cloth, Jensen. Would you?”

“That’s enough,” Jared said harshly.

They started walking again and left the auction house.

At the car, Jared’s phone started ringing. Jensen pressed a kiss to Jared’s cheek. “Answer it. I’ll just go say goodbye.”

Jared’s look said he didn’t like it but also didn’t want to make a scene in front of the auction house. That probably pissed him off even more since Jensen was forcing his hand. So when Jared answered his phone, Jensen feared for whoever was on the other line.

“Let’s walk,” he said to Matt and herded him away from the car.

After a few steps, Matt sighed and stopped. “Look, I was in deep shit with DeKay. I thought if I did well here, this was my way out of the doghouse.”

Jensen raised an eyebrow. “By throwing me under the bus?”

Matt grinned. “I knew you were smart enough to keep yourself out of trouble. And yeah, it was kinda shitty that I didn’t outright tip you off but I was sure you’d figure it out. And if not, you were always good at disappearing.”

“Ever think that maybe I don’t want to disappear anymore?”

Matt looked back to Jared. “No, I guess you don’t. Forgive me?”

Jensen snorted. “For old times’ sake.”

“Good luck, man. I hope this works out for you.” Matt said it like he meant it.

Jensen nodded.

“And watch your back. I’ll give you a heads up when DeKay comes back but he’s not the only one interested. From what I’ve heard, this task force is pretty serious about bringing Padalecki down.”

“Thanks, Matt.”

Matt smiled. “And hey, I owe you.”

“Yeah, you do.”

Matt tipped an imaginary hat and turned around. Jensen watched him leave. He should really have a chat with Williams, just giving out his information like that. Jensen didn’t mind people contacting him for work but he didn’t want them sneaking up on him in his favorite bookstore. He liked a heads-up. Since Jared was still on the phone, Jensen pulled out his own. He didn’t waste time with pleasantries.

“Stevie, what the fuck?”

“Well, hello to you too, boy.”

“Stow the crap. What the hell are you thinking, just giving out personal info about me like that? Where I get my books is no one’s business.”

Thankfully, Williams didn’t fake ignorance. “Come on, Jensen, everyone who wants to find you can do that easily enough through your boyfriend. Everyone knows he holds court in the Nine.”

“Yeah, but they’ll think twice about approaching Jared Padalecki’s table.”

Williams sighed. “Look, Matt’s an old friend. I didn’t see the harm.”

“Yeah, well, you could’ve at least given me a heads-up,” Jensen bit out. “He’s working as a CI for the Feds.”

Williams inhaled a sharp breath.

“Yeah. So how about you just keep any knowledge about me to yourself. If anyone wants to get in touch with me for a job, you tell them to wait and then you call me. And Stevie, my boyfriend was very displeased about Matt just showing up.” Jensen paused to give Willims time to consider what this meant. “Now, I’m not gonna tell him that you were the one who passed on the information. This time.”

Campbell didn’t like hiding behind his boyfriend, but as Jensen had told Matt, the fame was Jared’s fault so he could deal with it.

“I apologize,” Williams said stiffly. He clearly didn't appreciate Jensen talking to him like this, but the threat of Jared’s name would keep him in check. Jensen didn’t have time for this shit. He looked over at Jared, who was done with his phone call.

Shit. That was going to get unpleasant.

“Speaking of a job,” Williams, ever the opportunist, started.

“I’ll call you next week,” Jensen said and hung up.

Wordlessly, Jared opened the door for him and Jensen climbed into the car. The ride back to the mansion was quiet.

When Jensen couldn’t take the icy silence anymore, he turned to Jared.

“Not here,” Jared said tightly.

Jensen let himself sink into the seat. Fuck.

 

In the mansion, they were greeted by the dogs.

Jared did bend down to pat them—he’d never take his mood out on his dogs—but he straightened up quickly. “Sam!”

Sam showed up. “Back already?”

“Can you walk the dogs tonight? Jensen and I need to talk.”

Sam’s eyes flitted back and forth between Jared and Jensen and her eyebrows raised in an uh-huh kind of way. “Of course,” was all she said, but she shot Jensen a worried look when she got the dog’s leashes out of the sideboard in the hallway.

Jensen gave her a reassuring smile. Jared wouldn’t break up with him. If anything, Jared’s jealousy showed just how much he wanted Jensen to stick around. But if Jared was angry and insecure, then he might get more suspicious and more controlling again, which would make Jensen’s life a lot harder.

Jared was already walking toward the living room and Jensen followed him. When he entered the room, Jared was downing a tumbler of whiskey.

Jensen considered asking for forgiveness. But really, they’d been together for two years now and Jared had never been this jealous before—not of another guy, anyway. Sure, he was possessive, wanted Jensen wherever and whenever it pleased him, and he was still digging for Jensen’s secrets, even though that was slowly getting better.

But this… No, Jensen decided, Campbell would be pissed. And they were really on the same page here because Jensen was fucking furious. Jared should know better. Jensen’s feelings were the one fucked-up truth in this game, and that was what Jared didn’t believe?

“Never thought that out of the two of us, you’d be the drama queen.”

Jared’s head shot up sharply and his eyes glinted dangerously. “What?”

Okay, that was maybe a little harsher than Jensen had intended, but he was only just now realizing how very angry he was with Jared.

“You heard me. You’re glowering and drinking because my ex showed up? What are you, twelve?”

The tumbler sailed through the room and hit the wall with a loud thump. It was good glass, so it didn’t splinter but it did dent the wall.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jared dragged a hand through his hair. “Your ex shows up, you go out for coffee, and you don’t tell me? Not until he shows up at _our_ evening to flirt with you and try to get you to commit a goddamn felony so he can lock you up?” By the end, Jared was shouting and his chest was heaving.

It was an impressive sight. And because Jensen’s instincts were all screwed up since he’d started this assignment, instead of scaring him, it turned him on. So it took him a moment to process what Jared had said.

“Coffee date? How did you…”

Willy’s betrayal burned, deep and unexpected. Of course, he was Jared’s employee, but Jensen had always thought they had something special.

“Aldis tracked your phone,” Jared said. “After DeKay showed up here, I told him to keep an eye on you. And after you gave him Matt’s number—”

So Willy hadn’t ratted him out—that man deserved a whole new _fridge_ for that—but this was actually worse. “You had Aldis track me?” Jensen shouted.

“You fucking lied to me! You should have come to me the moment that fucker showed up here—”

“Like you should have told me that there’s an FBI agent who specifically has it out for me!”

Jared stabbed a finger in his direction. “Don’t put this on me! I tried telling you the FBI was after you, but you didn’t want to listen. No, you’re too good for them to catch you!”

Jensen threw his hands up. “Oh my god, the FBI watching me is different than some White Collar bloodhound coming after me!”

For a moment, Jared stared at him, the veins in his neck standing out, then he slashed his hand through the air as if he was cleaning off a table. “Don’t change the fucking subject. Your fucking ex showed up—”

“Not my fault.”

“And you didn’t tell me!”

Jensen crossed his arms across his chest. “I wanted to see if there was anything to worry about. I don’t come crying to you with every little problem.”

“Oh sure.” Jared reached for a new glass and poured himself another drink. “Because that’s why you didn’t tell me about your ex.”

Jensen rolled his eyes. “Oh my god, he’s a CI, Jared. He just wanted to get me in jail.”

“That might have been his job, but the way he looked at you... he wanted you. That was all real.”

Jensen cocked an eyebrow. “So?”

“So?” Jared echoed incredulously.

Jensen raised his shoulders, because apparently he could not stop goading Jared. “I’m a good-looking guy, Jared. Lots of people want me.”

Jared’s fists clenched. “You flirted with him.”

Jensen snorted. “I did not. We talked. I was my usual charming self. So maybe I flirted a bit. It wasn't serious.”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass. You don't flirt with anyone else.”

“I flirt with Dani all the time.”

“Don’t play stupid, you know that’s different. He’s your fucking ex.” Jared’s tone was absolute.

“We had a fling, nothing more.” Jensen glared. “And you don’t get to tell me what to do.”

Jared jerked his chin. “I’m serious.”

“So am I,” Jensen shot back. “So Matt and I hooked up. It was a long time ago. It was never serious; it was just harmless fun.”

“Fun?” Jared’s brows shot up harshly. “Fun? With that guy?”

Rationally, Jensen could see Jared’s confusion. Matt and Jared were not the same kind of man at all. And if Jensen weren’t so angry, he’d tell Jared that that was exactly the reason he was with Jared now. But he was too furious.

Jared was still breathing harshly, and Jensen could see fury and helplessness warring in his eyes before he came to some kind of decision and strode over to Jensen. He didn’t stop, crowding Jensen back against the sideboard, gripping him tight and hoisting him up on the smooth surface. A fruit bowl toppled over and Jensen’s head hit the wall with a painful smack.

Jared followed him but stopped an inch from his face. “In what universe could that guy ever satisfy you, huh?”

Jared’s fingers dug into Jensen’s hips and his cheek, and god, he was teetering on the edge. Campbell wanted to push him over and Jensen—well, Jensen wanted to see how serious Jared was, how angry exactly.

“Matt’s a great forger,” he said offhandedly. “Very talented hands.”

Jared’s nostrils flared. “Oh sweetheart,” he said softly. “That would never have been enough for you.” To make his point Jared rolled his hips forward, rubbing his hard dick along Jensen’s—and when did Jensen get so hard?—but with the friction, he couldn’t help but push his hips forward.

Jared grinned darkly. “Because this what you need.”

Jensen opened his mouth, wanting to protest, but then Jared kissed him, hard and deep. Jared pinned him in place and there was nowhere for Jensen to go.

With precision and efficiency, Jared divested them of their clothes. Buttons tore and Jensen was pretty sure the zipper of his pants was irreparably destroyed, but he didn’t care. Jared’s mouth never left his body, trailing hot and hard over his skin, leaving Jensen raw and oversensitive everywhere.

Jensen tried to help with the clothes, but he never got farther than pushing Jared’s shirt off. Instead, he held onto his shoulder, fingers slipping against the bunching muscles, and tried to anchor himself.

It didn’t take Jared long to finger Jensen open, quick and rough, more to slick him up than any foreplay, but Jensen didn’t care. He liked the burn.

He spread his legs as wide as possible. Jared laughed, low and rough. “Yeah, you want what _I_ will give you.”

Furiously, Jensen pulled Jared closer. “Then fucking give it to me already.”

Jared buried his face in the crook of Jensen’s neck, nosing at his skin and nipping teasingly until he bit down hard. “Be careful what you wish for.” Then he lined himself up and shoved inside.

Jensen’s hand slammed back against the wall and he had to grip Jared tighter for leverage. But Jared didn’t wait for him, just held him tight and fucked into him, quick and hard. Jensen bit down on his bottom lip to keep from shouting.

“Oh no, sweetheart.” Jared reached for Jensen’s mouth, rubbed his thumb along Jensen’s lip, and pulled it out from under his teeth. “I want to hear every shout, every little moan I’m going to fuck out of you.”

“You’re such a fucking asshole,” Jensen panted.

Jared’s laugh was gritty, and he pulled Jensen’s hip forward to push in even deeper. “You love it.”

Jensen wanted to protest, but Jared hit his sweet spot dead on and Jensen lost the plot. It didn’t take long like that, not with Jared setting a punishing pace and his hands holding Jensen’s hip and jaw in an iron grip while he continued to lick and suck at Jensen’s lips and neck. Jensen couldn’t control the noises spilling out of his mouth, but he knew Jared didn’t mind, not with how his frantic breathing sped up and his hips snapped harsher and faster.

When Jensen couldn’t take it anymore and tried to reach down for his dick, Jared angrily batted his hand away. “Mine. You’re mine.”

For a moment, Jensen feared Jared would make him suffer, but then Jared’s big hand wrapped around his dick and jerked him off.

“Fuck. Yes, please.”

“I know what you need, baby. Because you’re mine.”

Jensen groaned and came all over Jared’s hand.

“Yes.” With a few short, brutal thrusts, Jared tensed and then stilled.

The silence that followed was only broken by their harsh breathing. Jared’s hair was falling into his face, slightly dampened by sweat, and Jensen carelessly shoved it out of his face.

“Oh my god, you are such an animal.”

 

Jared turned his head to the side and lightly bit into Jensen’s wrist. “Don’t pretend you didn’t enjoy that.”

Jensen grinned insolently. In answer, Jared pressed a bruising kiss to Jensen’s puffy lips. “Wipe that smug smile off your face,” Jared growled. “I’m not done with you yet.”

And then he stepped back, and with a firm grip under Jensen’s shoulders and his ass, hoisted him over his shoulder.

“Oh my god, you fucking caveman, put me the fuck down!”

“No way, sweetheart,” Jared said and walked toward the stairs.

Jensen didn’t stop cussing him out until Jared reached their bedroom and threw him none-too-gently down on the bed. He reached down to stroke his dick, which was almost all the way hard again, and watched Jensen with heated eyes.

Fuck yes. Jensen scooted back on the bed, already spreading his legs but Jared shook his head slowly. “No, Jen. Turn around.”

Jensen froze. Jared had a thing about not doing it face to face when he was angry and selfish when he wanted to hide his emotions and protect himself. Jensen didn’t want him to do that now.

Slowly, he slid a hand up his body, rubbed his thumb along his mouth before briefly sucking the pad between his lips. “Don’t you want my mouth?”

Jared cocked his head, and Jensen felt like Jared was looking straight into his soul.

“No.” Jared’s voice was quiet but unforgiving. “Turn around.”

Stiffly, Jensen turned around. So he’d gone too far, had fucked up, but goddammit, Jared should fucking know that there was no one else, would never be anyone else. This was it for Jensen, no lie, no pretend and Jared—

The bed dipped behind him and Jared’s huge hands wrapped around his ankles. “I can’t wait to talk about this with you.” He increased the pressure and Jensen gulped in a breath. “But not today.” Then he slid his hands up Jensen’s calves, over his knees and the backside of his thighs. He wrapped his fingers around his thighs just below his ass and pushed them apart to make space for himself.

He crawled between them, his heated body dragging along Jensen’s clammy skin. Jared’s hands slid further up, tracing the ridges of his spine and a pattern on his back Jensen didn’t know. Then they covered his shoulder blades and Jared pressed him face down into the mattress.

“No one,” he bit out, “can give you what I can give you.”

Jensen almost expected Jared’s dick, but instead, hot air blew over his ass. Jared’s hands gripped his ass cheeks and then his tongue licked across Jensen’s fucked-open hole.

“Oh god.” Jensen let himself fall further into the bed. Jared would torture him. Jared would fucking tease him until he was reduced to nothing but a begging mess. When Jared mouthed along his crack and ever-so-slowly pushed his tongue inside of him, Jensen decided he was fine with that.

He let himself go lax, his dick trapped between his body and the mattress, and exhaled slowly.

“Don’t hold back, sweetheart,” Jared said, his voice filled with hunger. “I know you love it.”

Jensen wanted to give him a snarky comeback, but Jared twisted his tongue, so instead, he moaned. And he didn’t stop.

Jared was thorough and relentless, switching rhythm and technique whenever Jensen got used to it. Jensen was a violin’s string and Jared was winding him tighter and tighter, dragging every possible sound out of him along the way. Jensen lost sense of time; he didn’t know if it had been minutes or hours since they started.

Jensen could feel every little move Jared made every twist of his tongue, every rasp of his stubble, every breath of hot air on Jensen’s over-sensitive skin, every spasm of his fingers on Jensen’s ass.

Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. “Jared. You made your fucking point.”

“Really?” Jared rumbled against his skin, lips brushing against Jensen’s spit-slick hole.

“Yes, fucking yes. Matt could never hold a candle to you, it’s only you.”

“Good.” Jared's voice was dark with satisfaction, but he didn't stop what he was doing.

“Then what the fuck are you waiting for?”

“Are you not enjoying yourself?” Jared had the nerve to sound mocking.

Jensen was going out of his fucking skin. “Of course, fuck, but I need you to fuck me, come on.”

“Not yet.”

“Jared, please I need—”

“I know what you need.” Jared's hands clenched on Jensen’s ass, digging in bruise-deep and pinning Jensen in place. “And I'm gonna give it to you.”

He went back to licking Jensen open deeper and more forcefully, and with a punched-out breath, Jensen gave up. It took everything he had to keep it together, to not combust from the sensations. He clawed his hands into the pillows and tried to splay his legs even wider, but Jared was bracketing his thighs with his arms and Jensen couldn't move.

“I got you, baby,” Jared muttered and gently thumbed at Jensen's rim. “I got you.”

Jensen shuddered and moaned.

“Just feel.” Jared softly bit into the sensitive skin right next to Jensen's opening. “Trust me.”

And Jensen did. There was nothing he could do, nowhere he could go, but it was okay because he did trust Jared to take care of him. He let go, Jared's tongue fucking in and out of him the rhythm of his consciousness. He tried to focus only on the sensation, but his choppy breathing was loud in his own ears, only drowned out by the hammering of his heart. Jared's hands on his ass were hot brands making him aware of every place they weren't touching.

“Jared,” he managed to gasp.

Jared's fingers tightened. “What did I say?”

“Please,” Jensen croaked desperately. “I need…” His voice broke.

Jared pulled back and that was even worse. “What do you need?”

“I need—”

“Talk to me, baby, what do you need?” Soft and insistent.

“Need to feel you, fuck please.” Jensen was almost sobbing, his body screaming for contact, screaming for Jared, too far away, too distant and—

“I got you, baby.” Jared’s weight and heat covered his back like a blanket, sweat-hot skin pressing down, soft hair brushing against his neck, warm breath against the shell of his ear.

Jensen sobbed out a shaky breath in relief, fingers spasming in the sheets as he pushed himself up closer against Jared’s body. Jared rubbed his arm and covered Jensen’s hand with his, lacing their fingers together.

Jensen clenched his fingers, gripping Jared tight.

“I got you, baby,” Jared said again, repeating the words over and over again as he finally pushed inside, filled Jensen completely, hot and inescapable.

“Jared—” Jensen didn’t know what he was saying, nonsensical words spilling out with every one of Jared’s thrusts. He was getting so close, the tension almost too much when Jared suddenly pulled back.

“No—“

His breath was pushed out of him when Jared rolled him around, hooked one arm under Jensen’s knees, and immediately pushed inside again.

Jensen threw his head back and moaned.

“Yeah, that’s it, baby, just let go.” Jared kissed him hard, then dragged his head down to dig his teeth into his neck.

Jensen screamed. So close, he was so fucking close. He strained up, into Jared, for friction, for more, for anything.

“That’s it, baby, let me see your face, let me see you fall apart.”

Jensen forced his eyes to focus on Jared’s face, on the sweat running down his neck and darkening the long strands of his hair, his reddened lips, and his burning eyes, almost black and hungrily watching Jensen.

Jensen managed to get one hand on Jared’s biceps to hold on, with the other one, he cradled Jared’s face. On his next thrust, Jared nailed his sweet spot, and Jensen’s eyes rolled up into his head. He had to fight to inhale enough oxygen.

“Jared.” It came out croaked and thin, but Jared leaned down to kiss him anyway. “Please.”

“Yeah, baby,” Jared panted. “Anything.”

“Need…”

And Jared bent down again, kiss-biting at Jensen’s neck, his dick so deep inside of Jensen, unerringly dragging along the spot that pushed him higher and higher.

“Come on,” Jared breathed into his shoulder and it wasn’t an order, it was a broken plea. He pressed down, trapping Jensen’s dick between them, giving him much-needed friction. Jared reached for Jensen’s hand on his arm, interlaced their fingers again. “Come for me.”

Jensen’s orgasm tore through him, ripping through the tension and sending waves of shudders down his whole body. He lost focus for a few moments, but when his consciousness came back online, it was to Jared staring at him with a reverent expression as he came, collapsing on Jensen while his hips still pushed deep into Jensen.

Jensen’s whole body was buzzing pleasantly even though everything was sticky and sweaty and he couldn’t really breathe with two hundred pounds of Jared across his chest. Shakily, Jensen exhaled and carded a hand through Jared’s hair. There was a softness that filled him while Jared lay across his chest, panting against his neck with his hands still digging into Jensen’s skin.

Jared slowly came back to himself, his mouth trailing along Jensen’s skin and his fingers stroking Jensen’s side.

It felt tender in a way that was unfamiliar but welcome. But it was too much; Jensen felt full to the brim with all these feelings like he was stuck in a fairytale and his heart was about to burst. He didn’t even want to think about the mindless things he’d just panted out, how much he’d needed Jared to be there. Unconsciously, his fingers dug into Jared’s hair and hand, and Jared hummed and pressed back.

“You okay, baby?”

There it was again, that tenderness and that nickname Jared only ever used when he was serious. During the day Jensen was Jensen, was Jen, was sweetheart. Baby was something soft, reserved for quiet moments together, and Jensen was scared of how much he enjoyed hearing it.

Jensen could be honest about it, could tell Jared why he’d been so desperate for his touch, for contact, for knowing that Jared was there, sharing space and loving him. Jensen could tell him how grateful he was that Jared had picked up on it, had known when he’d pushed too far and had known to ask how to fix it.

But the words got stuck in Jensen’s throat. Campbell was too proud.

So instead of spilling his soul and laying himself bare, Jensen huffed and echoed his words from before. “ _Such_ a fucking animal.”

For a moment, Jared tensed, then he relaxed with a sigh. “And yet, you still enjoyed every goddamn second of it.” It didn’t sound half as smug as Jensen expected it to.

Trying to lighten the mood it was then. “Of course I did.” Jensen stretched until the joints in his shoulders popped. “Makes me think I should make you jealous more often.”

Jared scoffed, but it lacked heat. “At some point, I’m gonna start shooting,” he said. Again, there was none of the teasing or the bite in it. He rolled off of Jensen.

Jensen took a deep breath, curled himself into Jared’s side and traced the ridges of Jared’s abdominal muscles with his fingers. “There are really much better ways to deal with your anger.”

Jared wrapped his arms tightly around him and pressed a kiss to the crown of his head but his voice was too hard when he spoke. “Jensen.”

Jared was still angry even though he’d just fucked Jensen through the mattress. Usually, sex made Jared’s bad mood dissipate and appeased his jealousy. Not today. Seeing Jensen with Matt had done something to Jared. And Jensen realized with startling clarity that Jared had been so jealous because he’d been afraid. Afraid of what Matt had been to him.

“Don’t,” Jensen said softly. “I’m here, with you. Matt was never more than a fling. Yeah, he enjoys art the same way I do, and he’s a romantic, but that’s not what I want. Not in a relationship.” Jensen paused. “Until I met you, I had no idea what I wanted in a relationship. I never really had one.” He laughed heartlessly. “Apparently what I want is jealous, possessive, violent, and power-obsessed.”

“Thanks.” Jared was trying to sound nonchalant, but since Jensen had spent the last two years becoming an expert in his body language and every pitch of his voice, he didn’t miss the slight bitterness and the brief tensing of his shoulders.

“And you know, half of that turns me on and the other is really just a byproduct of keeping this city in line.”

Jared turned his head to look at him with raised eyebrows.

“It’s not a bad thing to be ambitious or to enjoy power.” Jensen reached up and trailed his fingers along Jared’s cheek. “You’re fair and just, and what you do is a hard job.”

Jared caught Jensen’s hand in his own. Jensen twisted to kiss Jared’s wrist. “You said it yourself: No one can make me do anything. I’m with you because I want to be here.”

“I know, baby.” Jared’s voice sounded much firmer and he drew Jensen into his arms. “But I will never accept someone else touching you.”

Jensen laughed into Jared’s neck. “Good.” Now he could lighten the mood.

“Good?”

“Yeah,” Jensen said cockily. “I’m hot, people are going to keep looking. And touching. So I’ll keep getting hot jealous sex. I don’t really see a downside.”

“You’re fucking unbelievable,” Jared growled and rolled them around, pressing Jensen back into the pillows. He slotted himself between Jensen’s legs and reached down to pull up one of his thighs.

Jensen let out a half-desperate, half-incredulous laugh. “Oh god, I can’t, Jared please—”

“Uh-uh, sweetheart. You want hot jealous sex? You got it.” Jared’s hands wandered up Jensen’s arms, stretching them until his fingertips brushed the headboard, then wrapped around his wrists like heavy and grounding shackles.

Jensen closed his eyes. “Just—be gentle.”

Slowly, softly, Jared rolled his hips against Jensen’s. “Of course, baby. I got you.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The Feds were really stepping up their game. First Abel, now Jensen. Chad parked his car in the alley behind Blair’s house and hopped the fence. Halfway to her veranda, he stopped.

“What the fuck.”

He took another few steps to make sure of what he was seeing. It could be a mistake. Or she could be playing him. Or—and this would just suck big time—the Feds were finally on to them. Well, Chad would just have to double check.

He bent down to pluck a few daisies—the flimsiest reason ever to be in the backyard of a Fed but better than nothing—and then turned around immediately. He walked back to his car and pulled out of the alley. Then he set his blinker to the right and drove towards Rainbow Valley Academy.

After his little errand at the school, he took care of some other business to give Blair time to properly ponder his message and react accordingly. When it was getting dark, he drove back to Blair’s house.

This time, he took a scope with him and looked at her veranda through a hole in the garden fence.

“Well, fuck me.”

He got back in his car and steered it toward the mansion. After the whole thing with Abel and Jensen’s thief-ex, Jared’s mood had just gotten better but this couldn’t wait. But they’d figure it out. They always did.

 

“They know Blair is talking to us.”

Jared looked up from his computer. “What?”

Chad sighed. “She turned the garden gnome on the porch.”

Jared’s eyebrows drew together. “Garden gnome? What the fuck are you talking about?”

“It’s our secret sign.” Chad made a throwaway hand motion. “She’s telling me to stay away.”

Jared straightened up. “Could she be jerking your chain?”

Chad shook his head. “I stopped by her boy’s school and put a little love letter in his backpack. When he got home, she actually threw the gnome in the trash. She’s sure.”

Jared leaned back, his mouth pressed into a thin line. “Fucking Morgan.” With a sudden jerk, he wiped half the papers off his desk. “Fuck!”

Chad didn’t flinch. As a matter of fact, he was surprised how well Jared was handling this. Two years ago he would’ve toppled the whole desk over.

“We need to get her out of the country.”

Jared drew in a couple of deep breaths, then he stood, leaned on his desk. “Get her out tonight. The next shipment that goes south. She can work for Esteban.”

Chad made a face. “That’s going to be hell on her boy.”

Jared’s eyes narrowed. “Her boy?” His voice was calm, soft. Shit. “Her testimony could bring us all down and you worry that her boy won’t like Antigua?”

“He needs special care, Jared,” Chad said, just as calm. He wouldn’t back down on this. “She did good work for us. We owe her.” He paused. “And he’s just a little kid. He already lost his dad.”

Jared pointed a finger at him. “Don’t you try to fucking play me.”

“I’m not. I’m appealing to your humanity.”

“Jesus.” Jared dragged a hand through his hair. “Okay, well, what do you want to do?”

Chad shrugged. “I was thinking we could send her to work for Tommy, maybe? London has a ton of schools for her son and we could get them out through Canada, give them fake papers so they can fly to England.”

“That’s going to take a while.”

“The Feds haven’t made a move yet. They might just be watching her, to see if they can catch us. If nothing happens, they’re gonna make a play. Either get her to wear a wire or have her feed us false info. Either way, I’ll be ready for it and then we can still get her out. And if the London connection isn’t ready, she’ll have to go south.”

Jared huffed. “Fine. But this is on you. And if you can’t get her out in time, you’re the one who’s going to pull the trigger.” Jared leveled him with a piercing look. “Can you do that?”

“If worst comes to worst, I will,” Chad said.

“You better.”

“You know I will.”

Jared’s entire posture relaxed. “Yeah, I know.”

“And don’t forget, I already have a new source in the bureau. Not as high up, but he’s gonna manage to keep an eye on things, I’m sure.”

Jared walked around his desk and put a hand on Chad’s shoulder. “You’re a good man. A good friend.”

Chad couldn't stop himself from leaning into the touch. Jared was the closest thing he’d ever had to family. After a few heartbeats, he tore himself away. “You’re such a big softie.” He pointed a finger at Jared. “Jensen’s a good influence on you.”

Jared snorted. “The fucker is going to make me lose my mind one of these days.”

Chad looked pointedly at the papers littering the floor and the desk that was still in one piece. “I don’t know, man. It looks pretty good to me.”

Jared glared down at the mess on the floor.

Chad clapped him on the shoulder. “Go take your boy to bed. I’m gonna talk to our friends in Canada, set up the papers.”

“Thanks, Chad.”

 _Thanks, Chad._ Chad stared after Jared as he left the room. Good influence indeed. He couldn’t help but grin. Then he shook his head and pulled out his phone. He had work to do.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> [Here’s a picture of the sunflower painting](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunflowers_\(Van_Gogh_series\)#/media/File:Vincent_Van_Gogh_-_Three_Sunflowers_F453.jpg) I used as inspiration for this fic. It really is in private collection but unfortunately unlikely to be seen on the open market any time soon.
> 
> You can come find me on tumblr [here.](http://ashtraythief.tumblr.com/) My ask box is always open.


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